booiwalter



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1,

F. M. BOOKWALTER..

WATER WHEEL.

Ptented Dec. 22, 1891.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2. P. M. BOOKWALTER. WATER WHEEL.

Patented 1380.22, 1891.

, UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANCIS M. BOOKVVALTER, OF SPRNGFIELD, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE .TAMES LEFFEL & COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

WATER-WH EEL.

SPECIFITION forming part of Letters Patent No. 465,812, dated December 22, 1891.

Application fil'e March 16J 1891.

T aZZ witam, it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANoIs M. BooKwAL- TER, a citizen of the United States,.residing at Springfield, in the county of Clark and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in later-Wheels, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

My invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in water-Wheels, the improvements having such reference to the gates which control the supplyof water to the wheel, and also to the mechanism by which the gates are operated or controlled. i

It has heretofore been customary in waterwheels to actuate the gates from one end thereof. In a recent application filed by meI have provided Vfor actuating such gates from both eo ends thereof, such application being filed under date of July 1890, Serial No. 357,790.. I now propose to actuate the gates of waterwheels by an arm extending from each gate, and characterized by a centralor substantially wise,whereby torsional strains upon the gates and the binding of their pivoted pins in the bearings, incident to Operating the gates from one end, and whereby the expense of mechanism for Operating both ends of the gates will be avoided, and whereby also the power employed to actuate the gates will be distributed equally upon all parts thereof.

Another feature of my invention consists in combining with this centrally-located actuating-arm of the gates an aotuating-annulus provided with sockets adapted to receive the ends of these centrally-located gate-arms, such ring or annulus being provided with a suitable device to maintain the arms in' the sockets and to lallow of the removal of the ring from the arms. o

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specifioation, and on which like reference-letters indicate corresponding parts, Figure 1 represents apartalvertical sectional view and elevation of a water-wheel casing, the flumes and the wheel proper having my improvements applied thereto; Fig. 2, a detailed view of one of the gates; Fig. 3, an enlarged detailed view, partially in side elecentral position, ineasuring the gate lengtherial No. 385,228. (No model.)

vation and partially in section, showing my improved gates, the operating-annulus, and the manner of connecting the gate-arms with the annulus; Fig. 4, a detail sectional view in the linea: a: of Fig. 3, further showing the manner of oonnecting the annulus with the gatearm; Figs. 5 and 6, similar views to Figs. 3 and 4, showing modifications; and Fig. 7, a detail view of the socket-block.

The letter A designates the metallic shell or casing into which the water is fed from a suitable source, the casing having an inletopening, as suggested by the dotted circle B, and being provided with the usual discharge- 6 5 fiumes O, attaohed to the sides of the casing, and having bearings to support 4the wheelshaft. By preference the flumes extend within the casing, as shown at D, and'support the side plates E of the' water-wheel structure. Between these plates is placed a water-wheel of any approved type, the same being designated by the dotted lines F, and inounted upon the shaft G. The features so far described are not peculiar to this invention.

Coming now to the features which constitute my improvements, the letter Il designates a series of gates having pivot-pins or studs I, fitted in bearings in the plates E, so as to turn thereon when operated to open or So close or partially open or partially close the Spaces between the gates, commonly called the chutes, through and by which the water is admitted to the wheel. At or near the middle of the gates, measuring them length- 8 5 wise, I provide each with a rigid arm J, preferably cast in one piece with the gates, though the arm may be separately made and then rigidly secured to the gate -in any desirable manner. The arms J also occupya position substantially central, measuring the gates crosswise or in their narrower direction, so that the outer ends of the arms are approximately over or opposite the pivotal points of the gates. This latterposition is not essential, but is preferred. The outer ends of the arms are preferably in the are of a circle struck from the center of the gate-pivots, as

shown at L in Fig. 3. Such gates are also preferably formed with ourved walls orconioo tact-surfaces M. The operating-annulus O encircles the gates and occupies a central position midway between .the ends of the gates, and is provided with a socket for each gatearm. These sockets receive the peculiarlyformed ends of the gate-arms and the walls P of the sockets engage with the outer ends of the gate-arms, or at least with such of the g'ate-arms as occupy the upper part of the circumference, and the end walls Q of the sockets engage with the contact-surfaces M of the arms. When the annulus is actuated in a rotary direction through devices hereinafter to be referred to, the Walls Q operate against such contact-surfaces of the arms and such surfaces slide along such walls Q, and thereby the gates are actuated on their pivots to fully or partially open or close the chutes. The sockets in the annulus are preferably open at one side so as to admit of placing the annulus. on or removing it from the gatearms. To prevent the annulus from becoming dislodged, some means should be adopted to cover the open side of the sockets. The preferred means for this purpose consists of a th-in ring R, bolted or otherwise secured to the annulus, as shown at S in Figs. l and 3. The annulus is also provided' with a rack T, secured thereto or formed in one piece therewith. This rack is engagedv by a pinion U,

mounted. on a cross-shaft V, having bearings,

in thecasing A, as seen in Fig. 1, and provided with a hand-wheel W and a toothed wheel X, which is engaged by a pawl Y to secure theshaft against accidental rotation. By these means-the annulus may be'operated in a rotary direction, its supporting means being the gate-arms. The central location of the gatearms, the'refore, serves the twofold purpose of, first, equally distributing between the pivotpoints of the gates power applied tooperate them to avoid twsting and torsional tendenciesA and to render the control over the gates easy and reliable without unduly binding the gate pivot-pins in their bearings; and, secondly, su pporting the weight of the annulus at a point practically midway between th e pivots of the gates, so that neither pivot is unduly pressed against its bearings, but both pivots made to receive a practically equal share of the weight.

Referring to Figs. 5, 6, and 7, it will be seen that I have provided means for adj usting, thesocket-walls, so that the socket may, in effect, be located to suit. the position of the gatearms. In manufacturing water-wheels it is somewhat diffrcult to get the gate-pivots mathematically equidistant. Therefore I desireV to= arrange for compensating for any difference between the distance between the gatepivots. The preferred way of doing this is by forming an annulus with an annular recess or rabbet a, and employing block b, adjustablyV secured to the annulus by bolts or screws c passing through openings in the blocks and slots cl in the annulus. By this means'the blocks can be adj usted to the exact position required to accommodate the arm of the gate, and the wear of the blocks and the. arm can be taken np' by adjusting the blocks. The same ring or plate for closing the open side of the socket may be used in this connection as when the socket is formed in the annulus, or some other means may be employed to close -this open side of the slot.

It should also be observed that in either form the sockets with the arms fitted up into them, whereby the contact between the arms and Athe annulus is removed from the surface of the annulus, provide against interference from the sand and grit in the water, which would tend to get between the arm and the annnlusif the contact between the two is not removed from an exposed position on the .Surface of the annulus.

I am aware that it has been proposed to carry the ring or annulus upon the armsof the gates. This in a general senseI disclailm. In such case, however, the power appliedv to actuate the gates was not applied practically midway between the gate-pivots, nor was the connection between the gate-arms and the ring or'annnlus such as embodi'ed in thisinvention, nor yet was the weight of the annullus distributed equally between the pivots of the gates.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to. secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a water-wheel,thecombination, with a wheel proper and its inclosing structure, of gates pivoted in said structureV and having arms located: substantially midway their length, the outer ends of thearmshaving a curved su'pporting-surface and: curvedl contact-surfaces, and an annulus4 also central-y `located and having sockets which receive the ends of the arms.

2. In a water-wheel, the combination, with pivoted? gates having arms, of an annulus having sockets, one side of the sockets being open, and a ring or plate securedtothe annu-` lus to cover the open side of the socket.

IIO

3. InV a water-wheel, the combination, with a wheel proper, itsinclosingl casing, and operating means mou-nted in said casing and v extending outside of it for hand manipulation and inside of it, of `a.gate-operatingan-. nulus, encircling the gates, midway their length andadapted to receive gate-arms, said Operating means having an engagingdevice also located midway thelength of the gates and engaging with said annulus, and a series of pivoted. gates having each a rigid arm extending therefrom at a point substan-tial'ly midway its length, said arms being received by the annulus and supporting and maintaining the annulus againstlateral displacement.

4. In a water-wheel, the combination, with pivoted gates having arms extending therefrom about midway their length, of an annu- Jlus having socketswhich receive said arms,

5. In a Watef-wheei, ILhe combination, with a Wheel proper and its inclosing structure, of gates pivoted in Said structure and having rigid arms located substantially midway their length, and an annulus supported by said I arms and also centrally located and having sockets whose walls are adj ustable, the sockets receiving said arms.

6. In a Water-wheel, the combination, with the wheel proper and its inclosing structure, of gatcs pivotaliy lnounted in said structure said arms and having sockets whose Walls are adjustable for the purpose described, such sookets lfeceiving the ends of the arms.

In Iestimony whex'eof I aflix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

FR ANCS M. BOOK W'ALTER.

Vitnesses:

OLIVER H. MILLER, ILM. PLAISTED. 

